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Note: Comments by Rex Moore, Jr.:
Harrison Nichols served in the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole Indian Wars between 1836 and 1837. According to Mary Moore Nichols's Widow's Pension Application and his military records on file at the War Department in Washington, D.C., he enrolled in Cap't. John E. Crouch's Company of the 1st Reg't of the Tennessee Mounted Militia on June 13, 1836 in Franklin, Tenn. and was mustered in on June 16, 1836 at Nashville. He transferred to Cap't.George A. Wilson's Company (Spy Co.) of the 1st Tennessee Mounted Militia on Nov. 1 (or 11), 1836 to fight in the Cherokee War. At one place in his military records, it states that he was wounded on Oct. 13, 1836. In another, it states he was wounded on Nov. 17, 1836. Whether he was wounded twice or whether there is an error in the date of his wounding is not known. Family stories about Harrison Nichols mentioned that he was, indeed, wounded during the Indian Wars. His military records show that he was discharged from service on January 10, 1837 at New Orleans, La. and was paid for "six months and 10 days service plus 30 days travel home pay."
Based on his military service, Mary Moore Nichols' applied for, and received, a widow's pension of $8.00 dollars a month. The date of her application was July 22, 1893 (on file at the War Department) and included the following information:
a) At the time of the application, she gave her age as 72 years; that she was a resident of Dyersburg, Dyer Co., Tenn.; that she and Harrison had married on September 5, 1838 in Franklin, Tenn.; that he had died on August 22, 1859; and that she had not re-married since his death.
b) She also stated that at the time he entered the service, Harrison was 20 years of age; 5 feet, 7 inches in height; with black eyes, black hair, dark complexion; was a medical (crossed out) student at time of enlistment; and that he was born in Williamson County, Tenn.
c) Other persons attesting that she was the widow of Harrison Nichols (and who signed her application) were "Mrs. Charles Vernon, aged 25, of Dyersburg" and "John M. Nichols, aged 49, of Dyersburg".
Note: Mrs. Charles Vernon was Mary Martin Vernon, daughter of John and Mary Nichols Martin. Mary Nichols Martin was Harrison and Mary Moore Nichols' daughter. John M. Nichols was Harrison and Mary's son.
d) Because of his service, Harrison was previously issued Bounty Land Warrant No. 23,233 for 80 Acres in 1855. Whether or not he ever claimed this land is not known.
e) Names of men who served as commanders of Harrison during his service are given as Joel Parrish, Henry Smith and Stewart Patterson. Other soldiers who served with Harrison are given as Anderson Davis, Tom Crouch (a brother to the Captain) and George Mayfield "who served as a guide".
f) Along with the application, there is also a letter dated June 6, 1894 in Franklin, Tenn. from George S. Nichols (Harrison's brother) to John M. Nichols ( Harrison's son) explaining that two widows in Franklin, wives of Louis Wagner and Felix Gunter who served in the same company as Harrison, had recently got their pensions. In the letter, he refers to Harrison as 'Brother Hack", obviously a family nickname for Harrison.
Mary Moore Nichols received her pension of $8.00 per month, retroactive back to July, 1892 (the date Congress passed the law creating the pension) until her death in November of 1899.
The fact that Harrison served in a "Spy Company" in 1836 is rather interesting. I don't know what a "spy" did in 1836 but obviously it was different from what we think of as a "spy" today. I don't see how a white man could be a very effective "spy" when the enemy is the American Indians!! Maybe a "spy" was like a scout or a forward observer or something.
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